Nafzger Looks for Third Straight Churchill Downs Distaff Title

Trainer Carl Nafzger will have a two-for-one shot when he saddles My Boston Gal and Mayo on the Side for Sunday's $200,000 Churchill Downs Distaff (gr. II).

The veteran conditioner has won the past two runnings of the one-mile event, taking the 2002 edition with Softly and most recently leading Lead Story to the winner's circle last year.

My Boston Gal has been working sharply at Churchill Downs, while Mayo On the Side trains with a string of Nafzger runners at Skylight Training Center near Prospect, Ky.

Mayo on the Side scored one of the year's most memorable upsets when she edged 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri in the Humana Distaff (gr. I) on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) undercard -- but has failed to win in five subsequent races. She has run well in the last two -- finishing a solid third to Azeri in Keeneland's Spinster (gr. I) and a close second to Susan's Angel in the Turfway Breeders' Cup (gr.III).

"She's been really consistent all year," said Nafzger in a release from Churchill Downs. "We made a couple of mistakes on her, but she's been just as consistent as they come and she's run good. She's probably a step below the best fillies in America, but on her given day she can beat anybody -- which she proved with Azeri."

Mayo on the Side , a 5-year-old daughter of French Deputy has a career record of 7-4-8 in 26 races and has earned $642,366.

My Boston Gal, a 4-year-old daughter of Boston Harbor who displayed signs of brilliance at two and three, will look to snap a four-race losing streak in the Distaff.

If Nafzger's pair runs well on Sunday, he hopes to run both horses back in the Falls City Handicap (gr. II) on Thanksgiving Day.

The 123-pound high weight Lady Tak brings back-to-back wins in the Ballerina (gr. I) at Saratoga -- her major objective on the year -- and the Gallant Bloom (gr. II) at Belmont Park into the Distaff.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, the leader in wins by U.S. trainers in 2004, is bearing down on 500 wins on the year by members his sprawling stable. But it's clear that, of all his horses, the 4-year-old daughter of Mutakddim is the teacher's pet.

"She's a great story in racing," he said. "Everybody who has ever touched her has been extremely rewarded by her. She's got a great personality. There are a lot of horses -- but there's only one Lady Tak. It hasn't always gone her way, but she has continuously showed up and performed. Her attitude off of races that haven't gone her way is what has made her so special to me."

Lady Tak, winner of Saratoga's Test (gr. I) in 2003, lost her first race at 4 in a disappointing sixth-place finish behind Ema Bovary in the Madison at Keeneland -- an effort that Asmussen has insisted should be placed squarely on his shoulders for not having her ready for her best effort.

Since then, she has reeled off four wins in five races that include the Winning Colors at Churchill Downs and her wins in New York. The Gallant Bloom victory improved Lady Tak's record to 10-3-1 in 17 races and pushed her earnings to $1,109,602.

It will be the season finale for My Trusty Cat, winner of the Honorable Miss (gr. II) and a narrow loser to Lady Tak in the Ballerina. The daughter of Tale of the Cat, who has six wins in 23 races, is scheduled to race again next year.

"She's learned to settle and not get into the race too early," Vance said. "She loves Saratoga and has run two superb races there -- but this mare has never won a race here."

My Trusty Cat is 0-for-8 at Churchill Downs, but was second to Molto Vita in Keeneland's Thoroughbred Club of America (gr. III) last time out.

La Reason, on the other hand, is 3-0-1 in eight races at Churchill Downs -- including a third-place finish to Adoration in the Fleur de Lis (gr. II). Her season's highlight was a win in Monmouth Park's Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup (gr. II).